This is blown insulation in an attic.
The purpose of insulation is to provide a continuous thermal barrier to minimize heat flow through the walls, ceiling and floor. Insulation serves to keep a home comfortable and reduce costs for heating and cooling. The home will not be as comfortable and energy costs will be increased if insufficient insulation is installed, or it is installed incorrectly, such as being compressed or installed with gaps. Furthermore, it is not difficult to install insulation correctly.
Criteria for a Quality Thermal Envelope
Insulation should:
1. Provide a continuous barrier between the inside conditioned space and the outside,
2. Be installed to the proper R-value,
3. Be installed without gaps,
4. Avoid excessive compression,
5. Be properly labeled or indicate the proper depth to achieve the specified R-value.
What is R-Value?
“R” stands for resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. R-value is measured through a series of industry standard tests. Manufacturers of insulation products print the R-value of their products on either bags or on labels attached to plain bags. In most cases, R-value is also printed on the facings of batts and rolls. On unfaced insulation, R-value may be printed on the product or indicated by stripe coding.
How do I know how much insulation I already have?
Look for an R-value printed on the facing of fiber glass and mineral wool batts. If you have an unfaced batt or any type of loose fill insulation, use a ruler to measure the amount of insulation currently installed. If you have six inches or less, you probably need more. In most homes, adding an insulation layer of R-19 to R-30 should help achieve the levels recommended for optimal comfort and savings, and qualify for the Federal tax credit. For more information on determining your existing levels of insulation, click here.
This is thrown insulation and incorrectly installed.
~ Life is Good
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